Judge: Only Congress Can Rename Kennedy Center, Rebuke to Trump Admin

A US federal judge has ruled that the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts cannot be renamed without congressional approval, directly challenging the Trump administration's decision to add the former president's name to the venue.

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The Kennedy Center’s organic statute makes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy, and it cannot bear any other formal name or public memorial based on the Board's unilateral say-so.

US District Judge Christopher Cooper stated that the center's founding statute clearly designates it to honor President Kennedy and prohibits any other formal name change initiated by the board. Cooper also criticized the board's vote to close the facility for renovations as "ill-informed and seemingly preordained."

The ruling marks another legal setback for Trump's efforts to imprint his name on Washington's landmarks. In reaction, Trump announced the cancellation of the proposed renovations and the return of the venue's control to Congress. He also publicly criticized the judge, appointed by former President Obama, on his Truth Social platform, calling for the judge to be "ashamed."

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Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it.

Trump defended his renovation plan, claiming he was preventing the center from falling into further neglect. He had become interested in the center's operations after his 2024 election victory, appointing a handpicked board that named him chairman and added his name to the building's facade. Performances at the center have continued, albeit at a reduced pace, ahead of the planned closure.

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should be ashamed of himself